Evaporative cooler with automatic feed



April 7,1953 F. E. SNOW I 2,634,112

EVAEORATIVE COOLER WITH AUTOMATIC FEED Filed Aug. 13, 1949 IN VEN TOR.

0Y0 if Sn/ow,

Patented Apr. 7, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE F IVAPORKTIVE AUTOMATIC .Eloyd Show, Pasadena, Galii'.

A plication August 13, 1949, serial No. 1111;059

This "invention relates to air coolers, and particularly to those utilizing the refrigeration effect produced by the evaporation of water ilroduced bg' passage of air through moistened absorb ent material. This invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with motor vehicles.

"In "coolers of this character the absorbent ter ial is ordinarily held between wire mesh or the "like. Through this absorbent material air pass'ei and when the absorbent mater'ial is suilrc'iently dampened, the passage of air evaporates the'wat-er, 'a'nd'a s is wellknown, the air is thereby cooled.

Heretofoi'e devices of this character required frequent attention, there being an inconvenience intermittently saturating the absorbent materia-l. This necessarily required that the "evaporator be located where it could easily receive such attention. Furthermore, the operation of varying degrees of saturation with corresponding degrees of refrigeration produced.

"It is accordingly one object of this invention to provide-an -evapora'-tive -c'ooler ob'viating 'fre quent attention. For -this purpose, a novel reed device is used whereby liquid is administered to the absorbent material automatically.

is accordingly another object of this invention to-provide a structure whereby the amount or water in the absorbent material "is "Substantially' constant in time so that the condition of operation is substantiall invariant, remainingat "its optimum level, and thereby providing an efficient cooler which continuously providest'he maximum refrigerationefiect.

The above objects "are ac'complish'edby providing a novel valve structure andoperatihe mechanism therefor which-opens the valve in response to a reduction below 'a limit or "the actual fluid content of the system. It another dialect of thi invention to provide a valve and operatin mechanism which permits the passage of water to the eva orator at-a rate proportional to the reduction below a limit of the actual fluid"content of the system. In this 'nran'nerfit is further provided that-only the correct amount of water "is admitted to the system, insuring against overc'om-pelisation of the conditions therein.

it is still another "object of this invention to provide an eva orative cooler particularly adapt ed for use passenger automobiles, and which is automatically supplied with't-he corre tamoiint or water such that it may be conveniently iocated.

:2 Claims. (Cl. 261 -66) such "devices was characterized by continuously "It is a further object this invention to provide a cooler which may utilize existing ventilator dllct'sin'an automobile.

It is a still further ob'je'ctof this invention to provide an automatically operated cooler that is simple in structure and *eificient in operation.

This invention possesses many other advan-- tages, and has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of a form in which it may be embodied. This form is shown in the 'dr'a'wirrgs accom anying and forming part of thenreserit specification. It will now be described in detail, for-the hurpos'e of illustrating the general principles of the invention'; but it is to be understood that such detailed descri tion is not to be taken a limiting sense, since the scope of the --l' nven'tioh is best defined by theappen'ded claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fi ure 1 is a tragmentary side view showing particularly the adaptation of this device for use in connection "with a passenger automobile;

Fig. .2 is an enlarged "view mostl in section, showing the structure of a device incorporating this invention:

Fig. -3 11's :a sectional "view showing on a further enlarged scale the valve structure "of Fig. 2;

1mg. 4 is a sectional view takenalong the plane 4- of Fig.2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the "plane 5 tE ofTFigJ2; and

Fig. 6 'is a sectional view taken along the blame G6 of Fig. 3.

In Figure L, the device incorporatingthis invention is. il1ustrai7ed as mounted for operation in connection with a passenger automobile 11]. The air cooler H is interposed between an inlet ventilator duct l2 appropriately communicating with a source of air adjacent the radiator portion of the automobile 1e, and an outlet ventilator.

duct [3 communicating with the interior portion of the automobile i0. These ducts I 2 and 1 3 may previously have existed "the automobile .1 as one continuous duct, it being common in modem anto mobi lesto provide them.

"The particular manner in which the ventilator du'c'ts may he secured to the air cooler i is shown in more detail in Fig. V

A cylindrical housing M of the cooler "H is provided with inwardly projecting flanged 'c'o llars $5 at the extremities of the housing it. These collars (5 maybe appropriately secured to the housing 14 as by weldin These collars 15 are in the form of annular channels, each of the hanged collars is having an annular 'n'eck portion i6 which has an outside diametral dimension corresponding to that of the ventilator ducts l2 and |3. A clamp ring secures the ventilator duct l2 or |3 to the housing M by overlying both the neck portion l5 and the duct l2 or l3.

As shown in Fig. 2, an evaporator unit I8 is of hollow conical form and comprises absorbent material I9 secured between an outer and an inner screen cone 2!]- and 2| respectively. The absorbent material may be excelsior, hemp fibres, or the like, capable of holding sufficient quantities of water. a J

The evaporator unit I8 is mounted within the housing M in such a manner that the inner cone portion 2| of the evaporator communicates with the inlet duct I! at the base thereof. The apex portion of the conical evaporator i8 is correspondingly located adjacent the outlet duct l3.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 4, the evaporator is pivotally mounted within the housing M at the apex portion thereof. For this purpose, a bearing standard 50 is joined to the apex of the cone 20, through which passes a pivot pin 23. A pair of symmetrically disposed spacer sleeves 22 are disposed over pin 23, for centrally locatin the evaporator |8 within the housin l4. Each of these sleeves 22 abuts the bearing standard 50 at one end and .at the other end abuts the neck portion l5. Rod 23 defines an axis of angular adjustment of the evaporator unit l8. c-shaped washers. 24 clamp on the rod 23 to restrict axial movement of the rod.

The housing I4 is adapted to be mounted in such a manner that the pivotal mounting for the evaporator unit l8 extends in a horizontal direction. As shown most clearly in Fig. 2, the diameter of the base of the outer cone 25 is substantially less than that of the interior of the housing l4. Thus the evaporator unit I8 is capable of angular adjustment within the housing |4in a manner to be hereinafter described. As shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 5, a plurality of spaced perforated tubes 25 are provided between the inner and outer cones 2| and 2|] of the evaporator |8 surrounded by the absorbent material IQ for uniformly saturating the absorbent material IS with water. In this instance, three such tubes are shown, one adjacent the upper portion of the evaporator unit l8, and one on each side thereof. The water'fills the absorbent material l9 by virtue of the forces of gravity and capillarity. These tubes 25 are interconnected by connecting tubes 26. Water is adapted to be supplied from a reservoir 21, through a spring loaded valve structure 28, and cooperatin tubes 23 and 30 which may be of flexible material such as rubber. The tube 30 is connected to the upper perforated tube 25 adjacent the connectin tubes 26. The reservoir 21 is mounted above the housing |4 so that upon the opening of valve 28, water flows to the evaporator |8 by gravity.

As the automobile l0 moves to the right in Fig. 1, or as air is forced in any other appropriate manner through the housing l4, the air will be cooled by the refrigeration efiect produced by the passage of air through the waterladen material |9. The base portion of the evaporator communicating with the inlet duct l2, the major portion of the incoming air will pass through the screens 20 and2| oi the evaporator l8, and traverse the moistened absorbent material l9.

The water reservoir 2'! may comprise a container 3| of suitable capacity which may be intermittently filled. A valve structure 32 may be manually controlled, as by the aid of a thumb screw 33 to initiate the operation of the system.

The container 3| may be detachably secured to the frame 34 of the automobile l0 as by the aid of spring clips 35. In order to insure against damaging the container 3|, a felt pad 36 may be inserted between the container 3| and the metal frame 34.

The spring loaded valve 28, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3, is adapted to control the flow of water to the evaporator unit according to the moisture conditions of the unit l8.

This valve 28 comprises a cylindrical valve body 3'! appropriately secured on the top of the housing l4, as by the aid of angle brackets 38, welded or brazed thereto.

A flattened, flared tube 39 communicates with the rubber hose 29 leading to the water reservoir 2'1", and at its flared portion (Fig. 6) communicates with a plurality of spaced inlet ports 40. This flared tube 39 may be welded to the valve body 37. These inlet ports 40 communi cate with the interior chamber 4| of the valve body 31.

An outlet conduit 42 out of alignment with the inlet ports 40 communicates with the bottom portion of the chamber 4|. To this outlet conduit may be connected the rubber hose 30 leading to the evaporator unit I8. Excepting the inlet and outlet ports, the chamber 4| is, of course, fluid tight. Thus, its upper and lower ends may be formed of brass discs 5| and 52 having a force fit in the casing 31.

A piston type closure member 43 is adapted to be moved within the chamber 4| and open one or more of the inlet ports 40. This closure mem-- ber 43 fits closely against the inner walls of the valve body 31 in order that a good seal may be achieved in closing the ports 40. In Fig. 2, this closure member 43 is illustrated in closed posi tion, and in Fig. 3 it is shown in a position in which all but one of the ports 4|]- are open. The rate of flow of water is controlled according to the position of the closure member 43.

In order to permit movement of the closure member 43 within the valve body, but yet to provide stability, a through aperture 44 of small diameter is provided therein. A dashpot effect is thereby obtained, stabilizing the movement of the closure member 43 and the evaporator unit 3 to which the closure member 43 is attached.

The closure member 43 is connected to the angularly adjustable evaporator unit l8, and is moved according to the angular position thereof in a manner to be hereinafter described.

A valve stem 45 is secured to the closure member 43 and extends through the valve body 31 at the lower portion thereof. The lower end of the valve stem 45 extends through the housing I4 and is secured to the outer cone 20 of the evaporator unit l8. For this purpose, a clevis 45 may be provided on the outer cone 20, and secured to the cone 20 as by the aid of rivets. A reinforcing plate 53 is placed within the outer screen 20 beneath clevis 45. A cotter pin 4'! secures the valve stem 45 to the bracket 46.

A compression coil spring 48 surrounds the valve stem 45 and abuts the disk 52 and the closure member 43. This spring 48 thus urges the closure member 43 toward open position and also urges the evaporator l8 to move counterclockwise from the position of Fig. 2 about the axis defined by the rod 23 of the pivotal supporting structure. This spring 48 therefore biases the system to valve opening position.

The unit #8 may be angularly adjustable between the limits defined by the housing 14.. The distance at the base portion of the evaporator l8 through which it is adjustable corresponds to that of the distance travelled by the closure member 43 between fully opened and fully closed valve position.

In the position of the evaporator unit 18 as shown in Fig. 2', the absorbent material 19 is filled with water. In this condition, the combined weight of the unit 18 and the water therein causes the evaporator unit I8 to assume its clockwise-most position, overcoming the bias of the coil spring :38. In this position, therefore, the closure member 43 prevents the further flow of water through the valve structure by sealing the inlet ports 49 from the chamber 4|.

As the water evaporates from the absorbent material 19, the combined weight of the evaporator unit I8 decreases, and thus the coil spring 48 will expand due to the'decreased load. The

expansion of spring 48 causes the closure member 48 to move upwardly, opening one or more of the ports 48 so that water may be supplied to the evaporator unit 18.

In this manner, the proper amount of water is supplied to the system according to the actual conditions of operation of the evaporator unit it.

The valve closing position in which spring 48 is compressed, as in Fig. 2, corresponds to that position in which there is the proper amount of water in the absorbent material l9 in order that the maximum refrigerating effect is produced, and the evaporator l8 operates at its most efiicient point. The spring constant of the spring 48 must of course be such with respects to the unit l8 as to permit this relationship to exist.

Upon the initiation of the operation of the system by opening the valve 32, the evaporator unit will be in its most counter-clockwise position, all of the ports 48 being open to permit the greatest rate of flow. As the water saturates the absorbent material [9, increasing the combined weight of the unit [8, the ports will be closed in succession, gradually reducing the rate of fiow until a stable condition of operation is reached. As the rate of evaporation changes, the rate of supplying water must be accordingly changed. This is automatically accomplished by the novel cooperation of the valve 28 with the evaporator unit I8, together with the particular arrangement of the ports 40.

The inventor claims:

1. In an evaporatlve cooler mechanism: a

housing having an air inlet and an air outlet aligned with the inlet; an evaporator unit having a liquid absorbert material; conduit means opening at said material for supplying liquid to said material; a pivotal mounting for said unit within said housing; resilient means biasing said unit toward one position; said unit being angu larly movable within said housing according to the quantity of liquid therein; opposite ends of the unit being exposed respectively at the inlet and outlet, and a valve for controlling the flow of liquid to said material according to the position of said unit; said valve having an inlet comprising a plurality of spaced ports and a closure member cooperating therewith and adapted to open or close one or more of said ports, and connected to the unit.

2. In an evaporator unit: a liquid absorbent material; a frame for holding the material; said frame having openings therethrough; conduit means opening Within the material for passing liquid to the material; a pivotal support for the frame adjacent one end thereof; a valve structure controlling the passage of liquid through said conduit means; said valve comprising wall means forming a piston chamber, said wall means having longitudinally spaced ports opening in said chamber, an outlet in communication with said conduit means, and a piston closure member closely accommodated in said chambenand adapted to establish communication between said ports and said outlet in sequence, said piston having a restricted port between opposite sides thereof; a connection between said member and the frame adjacent the other end of the frame; and resilient means urging said member toward one position.

FLOYD E. SNOW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 97,748 Springer Dec. 7, 1869 470,424 Frazar et a1 Mar. 8,1892 818,397 Tresenreuter Apr. 17, 1906 1,378,055 Pusey May 17, 1921 1,898,785 Murdoch et a1 Feb. 21, 1933 1,907,121 Robbins May 2, 1933 2,237,497 Munford Apr. 8, 1941 2,322,110 Bock June 15, 194 

